Lullaby For a Stormy Night
by Christine Lennoire
Summary: Hiei has this thing against nights with rain and thunder... can a figure from his past calm him with a song of fearlessness and a voice of love?


**Lullaby For a Stormy Night**

By Christine Lennoire

There were these nights – certain, unexplainable nights, when Hiei would sit up all night without solace until morning. Since he was a child he had known these nightmarish times as haunting memories. It wasn't until he joined the group of bandits, after surviving the huge fall from the ice land above, that a reprieve was found. Since then, he hardly ever repeated these feelings and it was wonderful to get full nights of sleep.

**It had been a cold night, and he had been but an itty bitty child. There was snow and rain and streaks of lightning with thunder booming everywhere in a horrible symphony of total agony. Snow made him think of his people and the storm was just so gloomy that he could not help but to cry. But he couldn't stop, no matter what. It was times like these that he was forced to realize how alone and scared he was. Everything seemed so much more real.**

**Through the darkness, a warm, deep voice consoled him. From these lips came a beautiful lullaby, but the body of this creature was always too far away to be seen, but close enough to comfort and protect the terrified boy. Always the same song, he sang, and Hiei always found just what he was looking for in this voice, and his words. When nothing else could do it, simply hearing this voice and knowing that this thing was watching him… resolved his inner fear.**

_Little child, be not afraid_

_The rain pounds harsh against the glass_

_Like an unwanted stranger_

_There is no danger_

_I'm here tonight_

**Hiei remembered the cold tears running down his face. But he could feel the comfort of the words of an invisible companion. Through a voice that showed something like pity, but right them, he didn't care if it was pity or love, for both he lacked severely. Until now, it was so strange that he hadn't thought of it. Yet, it had always been induced by the weather he could clearly see coming in the sky.**

_Little child, be not afraid_

_The thunder explodes and lightning flash_

_Illuminates a tear-stained face_

_I'm here tonight_

Pulling his knees close, Hiei realizes the truth of the matter. Whoever it was, this person was gone and he was alone. Never again would he hear that song. Realization drew him in, and he began to cry, knowing once again that he was alone and scared, and he wanted to know the comfort of a voice singing to him – someone who would never leave him, and would love him.

All he could do was run. He was angry at himself for being so weak. And he was mad at the creature… whatever it was, that sang to him as a child, living in that bandit's village… for not being here with him now… to sing it one more time. His legs connected with something hard and he landed on a familiar territory. When he tried to get up again, his arms shook so violently, that all he could do is fall again. In the darkness, he could hear the sounds around him, but it was all a blur until warm slender arms wrapped themselves around him and he heard a familiar tune, yet… the voice was so different.

In his pain and frantic, he grabbed at the creatures head and clawed and tugged, but the voice did not waiver once… and these are the words he heard…

_Little child, be not afraid  
though wind makes creatures of our trees_

_and their branches to hands, they're not real, understand  
and I am here tonight_

for you know, once even I was a  
little child, and I was afraid  
but a gentle someone always came  
to dry all my tears, trade sweet sleep for fears  
and to give a kiss goodnight

well now I am grown  
and these years have shown  
that rain's a part of how life goes  
but it's dark and it's late  
so I'll hold you and wait  
'til your frightened eyes do close

and I hope that you'll know...

everything's fine in the morning  
the rain'll be gone in the morning

_and though I'll be gone in the morning_

_in your heart I'll be here in the morning_

True to the words, when Hiei awoke, the figure was gone and he felt fine. The weather was bright and clear, and a rainbow was feint in the sky. But he felt like he knew something was different. Though the song was the same, instead of pity, the voice radiated pure love and sympathy. Clutching his fists, he felt something in his grip. This something was small and thin and red, but it made him smile to see the lock of hair nestled in his palm. Though the figure was gone from his side, he had never been abandoned, and he would never be alone… he had a feeling he wouldn't be depressed for a while now, jumping down from the tree and letting the blood red lock of hair float free.

**Owari**

Hope you like it! It was just an image that came to mind when listening to the song by Vienna Teng, and I just had to write a small story. Please review!

Christine Lennoire


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